


Gingerbread

by yansurnummu



Series: Of Crows and Wolves [4]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Cooking Lessons, Domestic Fluff, Gift Giving, M/M, The Dawning (Destiny), cooking as a love language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28276329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yansurnummu/pseuds/yansurnummu
Summary: Crow isn't a very good baker, but James is there to help.
Relationships: The Crow/Male Guardian
Series: Of Crows and Wolves [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071188
Comments: 3
Kudos: 32





	Gingerbread

Crow sees the ship fly overhead, and he finds it hard to suppress his grin. He starts toward where it was heading, out on the flats of the Tangled Shore, a giddy feeling in his chest.

Eventually, he catches up to it – an old Eliksni ketch, the hull a patchwork of scratched metals and chipped green paint,  _ Thief Queen's Hubris _ painted on the bow – off in the distance, parked in the gulch. As he gets closer, he can see the side hatch open, the owner of the ketch sitting on the cargo ramp next to a box of tools, conversing with a Vandal some meters away.

Crow's heart flutters at the sight of him, in that dirty green cloak, hood pulled back to reveal messy black curls. He can feel Glint nudging him to approach.

James' face lights up when he notices him, giving a friendly wave. The Vandal nods in Crow's direction, chittering respectfully. 

"Thank you, Avris," the Wolf addresses the Eliksni, "I'll make it up to you. Be safe, now."

"It is my pleasure. You've done enough for us," they say before turning, "Crow," Avris bows before picking up their rifle and taking off.

Crow looks at James curiously, and James looks at the ground, a sad smile on his lips.

"I've been… looking for a friend of mine. Avris said she might'a seen her," he explains.

"Is she here?" Crow prods.

"On the Shore? No," he sighs. "Her ship was seen on the outer edges of the Reef, but that's all I got." 

He doesn't elaborate, and Crow gets the sense that it's not something he wants to talk about. He stands, picking up the crate of tools and descending the ramp. "Anyway," he digs out a handheld drill from the seemingly unorganized crate. "How's things?"

"I'm doing okay," Crow smiles, watching James fit the drill bit and begin work on unscrewing a panel on the hull. "I, um…" anxiety rises in his chest as he rests a hand over his messenger bag, "I brought you something."

James looks at him, surprised, nearly dropping the now loose steel panel. Crows bites his lip, digging through the bag and procuring a small container. The Wolf sets the panel and drill down, giving Crow his full attention.

"I… well," he stumbles, holding the box in his hands nervously. "Last year, you showed me kindness when I had nothing. And you… continue to show me kindness," James approaches him, and Crow gives him a sheepish smile. "So… this is for you. Happy Dawning."

He holds out the small box, and James takes it gingerly. He regards it with wide brown eyes, and Crow worries he might have overstepped, misread him–

But before he can finish that thought, James is throwing his arms around him and he has soft lips on his own. Crow's arms move around James' waist and he can't help but smile against his mouth. They part after a moment, the man's arms around his neck and a grin on his face, and Crow's breath is stolen by how  _ precious _ he is.

"Fuck, that's so sweet of you," James laughs, leaning in to press his lips to Crow's cheek.

"You haven't even opened it yet!" Crow chuckles, and he leans up to kiss James' forehead.

"Don't matter," he beams, but pulls back anyways. 

He motions Crow to follow him, and they sit together on the floor of the cargo bay. James pulls at the ribbon holding the parcel together, Crow watching nervously as he opens the box. 

"Did you make cookies?" James asks excitedly upon seeing the contents of the box.

"I mean, yeah, I'm not very good at it, though…" he fidgets, and James smiles at him.

The Wolf leans over and kisses him softly and Crow momentarily forgets his worries. When he pulls away, James looks genuinely  _ happy, _ and Crow remembers what Glint told him.

_ It's the thought that's important. _

Crow believes him now. Back when he first met James, he shared a container of food with him, and Crow nearly cried. It was something so  _ simple, _ and yet the gesture caused a surge of emotions in him. It didn't matter  _ what _ it was, but it was the fact that somebody  _ thought _ of him,  _ cared _ about him enough to share that with him. He supposes this isn't that different.

"Here," James breaks one of the cookies in half, offering a half to Crow. Crow realises that he never actually  _ tried _ them, a new wave of nerves coming over him.

He takes a bite, and freezes.

It's  _ bad. _

James doesn't say anything, but Crow can tell by the way he chews slowly, a look of contemplation on his face, that he too knows they're not good.

They're spongy, a little elastic and burnt on the bottom, and they've got an unpleasant bite to them that Crow recognizes as the ginger root. They taste  _ nothing  _ like the gingerbread he was trying to make.

"I am  _ so  _ sorry," Crow speaks first, embarrassed. James bites his lips like he's trying his hardest not to smile.

"Crow, did you… try to make gingerbread with  _ actual _ ginger?" James looks at him, and he nods shamefully. "Oh, honey."

James chuckles, putting the box down and wrapping his arms around Crow. Crow whines apologetically, and James presses soft kisses along his jaw and neck. "I love it," he laughs, his voice muffled in Crow's hood.

"You do?" Crow puzzles.

"Yeah, that's so fuckin' cute."

Crow flushes, a smile pulling at his lips.  _ It's the thought that matters, _ he thinks, a little shy.

The Wolf pulls him into his ship, and Crow realises he's never seen the interior. It looks like a collection of centuries of junk and knick knacks and boxes, seemingly random in their assortment. There's things from old Earth, patterned rugs and curtains and furniture that looks like it's been broken and repaired a dozen times.

James takes him into a kitchen that's certainly not standard for a ship like this, leading Crow to believe it was installed by the Wolf himself. It's as cluttered as the rest of the ship, with dozens of mismatched jars and containers of spices and grains and dried legumes.

James makes him dinner, letting Crow help with chopping tomatoes and onions and garlic. He tells him what spices he adds, and how to tell when things are cooked well enough, and Crow files the knowledge away eagerly. Crow asks about objects around his kitchen, and every item and decoration seems to have a story to it. It isn't until then that the reality of how  _ old _ James is hits him.

The dish smells  _ amazing _ when it's done. James calls it  _ chana masala,  _ a curry of chickpeas, tomatoes, and onions that's healthy and relatively simple to make. It's  _ so good  _ that Crow fears he might actually cry this time. He's overwhelmed by the idea that James is  _ teaching  _ him to cook, giving him the tools to fend for himself if he needs to.

Later, James shows him how to make gingerbread cookies over mugs of sweet mulled wine.  _ Ain't no ginger, despite the name, _ he laughs. 

Crow sits at the kitchen table, warm mug in his hands as he watches James stir the batter with a spatula. The room is filled with the warm smell of cloves, pepper, cinnamon, brown sugar, and roasted walnuts, and he has a moment where all he can do is stare at the man, stars in his eyes. James' sleeves are rolled up, showing lean, tattooed hands and forearms, and Crow smiles to himself, his heart fluttering. 

James' brown eyes flick up to meet his own, and Crow swallows, breaking eye contact, suddenly shy, and downs the last contents of his mug.

The cookies turn out  _ astronomically  _ better than what he had made on his own. They're soft and fluffy and pleasantly spiced, with diced nuts sprinkled on top. But James  _ taught _ him how to make them, instead of ridiculing or faulting him for failing the first time.

This time, Crow does cry. He's a little tipsy and the emotions are just too much, and tears fall down his cheeks as he eats the cookie. 

James embraces him, shushing him softly. Crow feels safe with him, he thinks. He feels like he can have this vulnerable moment and not be judged, not be seen as lesser.

He stays with James that night. His bed is cramped, nothing more than a bunk behind the cockpit, but Crow's slept in far worse places. And besides– having James with him is enough to make any place seem like a palace.

He smiles as James presses against his back, arm around his waist, placing a kiss to his shoulder.

_ "Happy Dawning," _ he whispers.


End file.
